Hard to believe that after this new comic book week that 2012 is almost half over already. And what a year it has been so far. Although some may say that December will be the last month of all time, we want to be positive here and believe we’ll see the next chapter within the Avengers movie saga…..

The next movie is going to be epic in so many ways it’s unreal. Simply because of one character and where Marvel will begin to turn its attention. The door has been opened with that smirk of evil after the credits. As said in previous InvestComics articles and Hot Picks for many years, the Marvel Cosmo’s will in fact be the next “Star Wars” of the “outer space” movies. The character Thanos will be the next Darth Vader. Loath him as we all will, but we’ll love him. Who will be Luke? Silver Surfer maybe? How about Captain Marvel? The heroes to choose from are absolutely countless.

The idea that Marvel will pursue their Cosmic Universe is pure speculation here. But why wouldn’t they now? The foundation has been set with one single look from one of the most evil, narcissistic, possessive villains within the Marvel Universe, but his mainstay is within the Cosmic side. Marvel began bringing their Cosmic Universe back to the forefront with a very well put together Annihilation storyline. The Marvel Cosmo’s are about to make another run here and we’re on top of it here at InvestComics.

This week we will cover many of the first appearances from within that vast universe that Marvel has put together. A lot has to be owed to Jim Starlin in regards to help shape this Universe. The Cosmo’s would NOT be the same without HIS creation of Thanos and storylines. It would look and feel vastly different if not for Jim Starlin. Do not kid yourself; Thanos is the center piece of this alternative Universe. If he wasn’t so important, or an integrate part of the grand scale of things, why is he in that last panel in the Avengers movie? If you have not seen Jim Starlin’s Video interview on InvestComics TV, you should really check it out. It so happens that in a case of irony if you will, Martin Pierro of his publishing company Cosmic Times team’s up with me to conduct the Interview. Martin is also the creator of the successful West Palm Beach comic book show called PalmCon. Do yourself a favor and check that out if you’re down here in Florida. Look for Martin on Facebook too! So back to Jim Starlin here, be sure to check out the 3 part interview that we did with him from his home in upstate New York. Part 1 is right HERE (in which he talks about the creation of the Thanos character), Part 2 is right HERE (In which he talks about the death of Jason Todd, Captain Marvel and his Dreadstar character), and Part 3 is right HERE (In which he talks about Breed III).

Below you will find an abundance of comic books featuring the first appearances of many Marvel Cosmic characters. These are not by any means all of them, it’s just a guideline list of some that may or may not ever appear in a Marvel Cosmic movie. Rocket Raccoon; although he has been covered before on InvestComics, Actually…… look for Marvel Preview #7 (1976) if you want Rocket’s first. Many of these comics are at a very affordable price’s right now. Get your hands on these at the next Comic show or your local comic shop. You’re sometimes better off getting these at the comic conventions due to the fact that many dealers will make deals with you on a lot that you buy. So with that, let’s check out some more first appearances in no particular order.

Iron Man #55 – The Mecca of everything Cosmic. The First appearance of Thanos. This comic has been one of the most recommended comics on InvestComics for many years. If there was ever one comic to buy for your collection right now, this would be It.……Or would the next comic be?

Marvel Super-Heroes #12 – Featuring Captain Marvel! The first Captain Marvel. Yes folks, this too needs to be in your collection as of yesterday. If there was ever one comic to buy….no wait, said that already. Well you get the idea here. If Marvel plays their cards right here with the Cosmic movies, Captain Marvel would be the answer to DC’s Superman. Imagine if you will, with all the feeble attempts that DC has tried now with making the “right” Superman movie how Captain Marvel will outdo that character on the screen its first time out. That would be instant victory for the House of ideas (no not InvestComics, Marvel). The potential upticks here for Captain Marvel is simply astounding. Buy this.

Fantastic Four #48 – There needs to be a story told right? In general, in life….even if the stories exist in your own head, it’s still being narrated by ….you! So the question here is, who tells the story when we’re gazing into the galaxy that fills the movie screen? The Watcher of course! Check out his first appearance here. Oh yes, almost forgot. Buying this comic would be a three for one deal. Silver Surfer AND Galactus also make their debut here. So let’s recap here. Buying this comic will get you the narrator of our cosmic films, the possible headlining star and a character that will NOT be a purple cloud next time around? Buy this pronto.

The Infinity Gems – It’s very safe to assume that Thanos will be seeking the gems in the second Avengers film. Here are some of the comics that feature the first look at these gems that the madman craves. Power of Warlock #1, Marvel Team-Up #55 and Avengers Annual #7. Seek those before Thanos finds them first, we don’t want that!

Incredible Hulk #234 – First appearance of Quasar. Hey one never knows if he’ll ever pop up someplace!

Strange Tales #138 – First appearance of Eternity.

The Eternal #2 – The Celestial first appear here.

Captain Marvel #27 – Jim Starlin revisits this character in one of his many creations later in a historic graphic novel called The Death of Captain Marvel. Death first appears here.

The Cosmic Cube – Another handy item Thanos would love to wrap his purple hands around. Get the first look at the Cosmic Cube in Tales of Suspense #79.

Secret Wars #1 – The Beyonder makes his debut here. If you do not own this limited series, well then you’re not really a comic collector.

Thor #132 – Here’s an obscure but fun first appearance. Ego the Living Planet! Created by Stan Lee and Jack “King” Kirby.

Quasar #24 – First appearance of Infinity.

Giant Sized Defenders #3 – First look at Korvac.

Fantastic Four #20 – First Molecule Man.

X-Man #15 – First appearance of Onslaught. This character sure reeked a lot of havoc over the years.

Fantastic Four #18 – First Super-Skrull.

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So there is a nice list to get you started. Who would you include on this list? Don’t be shy, let your voice be heard!

Okay so let’s take a look at a few comics heading your way this week shall we?

DC’s new 52 will introduce us to the new Mr. Freeze in Batman Annual #1. This villain originally appeared in Batman #121 back in 1959. DC also gives back to the kids again this week with two new “kid friendly” titles. Superman Family Adventures #1 and DC Nation #1. And the last of the number one issues to check out this week from DC is Ravagers #1.

Two independent number one issues to seek this week; Grim Leaper #1 from Image Comics and my very own Vincent Price House of Horrors #1! Yes the First work ever from the owner of InvestComics! Hopefully there will be no delays in this comic coming out, but if you buy the comic and would like it signed, send it to me and I’ll send it back signed for you! Contact me at jaykatz@trendingpopculture.com so that we can get that done!

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Welcome to InvestComics Hot Picks 5-16-12 – Marvel Cosmic Special

InvestComics has always been ahead of the curve in many ways over the last 6 years. Even back when InvestComics was just a free “investment” magazine about 6 years ago, over the years we called out the Walking Dead #1 before it came out, Superman and the DC Universe to lose their underwear in order for DC to be on the next level again, recommended countless Bronze and Silver Age comics that have seen a significant increase in value, called out Kick Ass as a movie before the number one issue even hit the comic shops and of course the mention of Iron Man #55 in the very first issue of InvestComics magazine. Thanos’ first appearance…….more on that in a sec. Onwards the predictions came to fruition. Yes there are many others that haven’t come true either! But if you’re a savvy player in a volatile market, you’re more often right than you are wrong.

Why do we mention all of this you ask? Well if you have been under a rock for the past couple of weeks and have not seen The Avengers movie (you should) then you really should not read on. A SPOILER WARNING for you!

By now all of us know that at the end credits of The Avengers movie Thanos appears. Back in 2009 InvestComics wrote an article about how Thanos as well as the Marvel Cosmic Universe was being neglected. As the technology becomes an absolute dream to comic fans and Hollywood for that matter regarding movie magic, Marvel will probably venture into the Cosmo’s. And yes InvestComics was on this years ago. So before we get to a couple of Hot Picks to check out this week, let’s take a look the CREATOR himself of Thanos via Interview on InvestComics TV Mr. Jim Starlin from April of 2011, speaking about the creation of Thanos and an article from 2009………

InvestComics 2009 article: Cosmic Hot Picks

Thanos should be in serious consideration for a Marvel movie. Think about the entire Marvel movie library thus far that have and will come out, all “good” guys. Wouldn’t it be fun to have a villain wreaking havoc on some innocent people then have Warlock show up, or better yet a “Cosmic team” Guardians of the Galaxy maybe?? The storylines and characters are endless. Captain Marvel would be spectacular wouldn’t he? Let’s get that Silver Surfer movie going and introduce some of these characters, thus spinning some of them off into their own solo movies. It would open another arena for Hollywood and Marvel that would be a fanboys sci-fi dream. Think about this, Marvel has and will have spend the next couple of years absolutely killing the comic book market with everything Cosmic from Annihilation to the War of Kings. Fans are eating this stuff up. It’s storytelling at its best here folks, that’s why it’s doing so well. Warlock, Drax, Guardians of The Galaxy, Quasar, Terrax and Captain Marvel, and the list goes on. The epic Marvel ‘Space’ movie has yet been made and with the special effects as ridiculously good as they are these days…..what is the hold up? The Cosmo’s await their turn on the silver screen and a Thanos flick would be a choice that would be an absolute slam dunk.

So here is a very small list of some Marvel Cosmic characters that should be in your collection. What do you think? Do you have some heroes or villains that need to be on this list?

So there you have it, a very short and concise article regarding the Marvel Cosmic Universe back a few years back. Thanos appeared in the first InvestComics magazine with the mention that this villain will in fact blow up sooner than later. The reference on InvestComics was “Thanos will be the modern day Darth Vader”. Write this down folks, it’s going to happen and you heard it here first.

This week Hot Picks sees a short list to cover.

Amazing Spider-Man: Ends of Earth #1 begins the death of Doc Ock storyline right? That is where we’re headed right? No surprises here. But it does have that real cool on the cusp of really being cool Brit character Union Jack appearing in this issue. Check out Jack’s first appearance in the very affordable Invaders #7. The next issue has the cooler cover though of Union Jack, but just like the character himself, he always seems late to the party and thus receiving that second rate hero tag.

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X-Factor #236 features the first appearance of Shattershot. No not the Transformer Shattershot…..we hope not.

Justice League #9 has all signs of impending doom on their ominous cover this week. Look for an introduction to a new big hurt in the new Justice League. Who is the new “major nemesis?” Find out and pick this comic up before it flies off the shelf!

Before we go……

Also this week on InvestComics You tube channel, the latest EXPLICT episode of Booze, cooze and reviews episode #3 has arrived. Reminder here, if you are easily offended DO NOT click ahead to watch Amber tell it like it is on her review show. Here’s the way it goes. If you’re a Howard Stern fan click ahead, if you’re a Rush Limbaugh fan, don’t click ahead. No fluff to be found here, no blowhard, just simple honest open minded truthfulness from Amber. WARNING: EXPLICT LANGUAGE ahead if you click this right HERE.

(This article is comprised of several articles from InvestComics over the span of 7 years. Many prices will be “off” or not on target pertaining to this article. Please click on the red link to see what your comic is bidding for now on Ebay)

Click the RED links to purchase/bid on comics in this article on Ebay.

Since the Avengers movie will be coming out on May 5, 2012 and the InvestComics Hot Picks always come out on Sunday….well we wanted to deliver the goods BEFORE the movie came out. So here you are, the most comprehensive Avengers checklist you will find anyplace on the web as only InvestComics can deliver!

There are written articles within this checklist that date back to 2009. InvestComics will reproduce some of these Hot Picks from WAY back then and also provide NEW insight as well. So will there be some duplicate entries? Absolutely, but there will be some other comics that were not covered in other areas, so you see no harm no foul, just LOTS and LOTS of awesome comics to check out and hunt for.

The main focal point here is the fab four. Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and the Hulk. There are mentions of other Marvel characters within this article, but this is all about the fab four. The main focus here is on each of the individual series that they have appeared in. Two exceptions occur from the older checklists that were from 2009/2010. Thor and Iron Man.

Also, this week feature’s a new scrolling picture thingy that we hope you enjoy. If you want to see a picture that is scrolling on the top just click it and it will come up. On the larger picture, you can click on that picture and it will just click through to the next picture that way.

At the end of this article (which is the largest in InvestComics history!) you will find the best Avengers covers throughout the years. These covers consists ONLY OF THE ORIGINAL AVENGERS SERIES, NOT any other series or variants (well maybe a couple of variants by accident). If you have ANY covers ONLY from the original series that you think should have made the cut, DO NOT hesitate to post it below in the comments section or on the InvestComics Facebook page.

Captain America #100– The First “true” issue of the solo Captain America series. Just like Cap’s teammate the Incredible Hulk, 43 years this series lasted. A low starting bid at $700 for this comic. Cannot stress enough to but this comic.

Captain America #109 & 112 – Here’s a great way to get a piece of Captain America’s origin, retold twice within 3 issues of each other very early in the solo run. Coming in at about $130 each. Awesome stuff here folks.

Iron Man #55 – If there was ever ONE comic to own within a series, THIS one is it! The first appearance of Thanos. This villain will eventually make his way onto the big screen and when he does, look out! The next Darth Vader love affair of a villain will begin when Marvel realizes that the next franchise of movies that awaits them will be the Cosmos! The $240 price tag should not in any way shape or form deter you from buying this comic yesterday.

Iron Man #115 – How is this comic only listed at $10?? It’s John Romita Jr.’s first full art work. A bargain here folks.

Iron Man #128 – Here ended the biggest and most important storyline in Iron Man’s run to date! “Demon in a Bottle!” ….With a classic cover and only $25.

Journey Into Mystery #83 – Well this is where it all began, a hefty $20,000 price tag on this one, but with Thor finally coming to the movie screen, appearing in many Marvel titles, The Avengers movie, and most of all the children in all of the world will want a Thor hammer. Yes, Thor’s first appearance will be a buy right now. It has tremendous upside.

Journey Into Mystery #84 – Natalie Portman gets the role of Jane Foster, here is the first appearance of Jane. $2500 seems to be a bit much on a character that will never be a Lois Lane, or a Mary Jane type caliber player.

Journey Into Mystery #85 – Where there is a hero, there is a villain. Thor’s main thorn in his side will be “brother” Loki in the film. This comic is a very good buy at $1200. Everyone loves a villain and if Loki transfers to the screen with the hate and venom he displays so well in the comic books, this comic will be a winner. Actually, either way this comic is a winner at $1200. No downside to this book for a long term investment. Wait one more reason to purchase this book, Heimdall’s first appearance here too!

Journey Into Mystery #86 – Well Thor and Loki have to have a daddy right? Odin’s first full appearance right here folks. Sir Anthony Hopkins does the honors of playing the father of the 2 rival siblings in the film. If you haven’t caught any of his movies (how would this even be possible??), you should the man has some serious talent. That said, Odin’s first full appearance here doesn’t command that much money. You’re looking at only $600. This comic has the slowest progression potential of the males in the family. Don’t look for this comic to really boost up in the rating’s that much. Buying this at $600 will have you waiting quite a while before you see some slight upticks. Your money would be more well spent on issue number 112, more on that in a bit.

Journey Into Mystery #99 – A 2 for 1 here, first appearances of Sutur and Mr.Hyde. $350 price tag. Not much upside here, but great Kirby cover…..as usual from The King.

Journey Into Mystery #102 – This issue features Thor’s first stalker, Sif. This is her first appearance. Have you seen Jaime Alexander? She’s playing Sif in the movie. Wow. Be nice to see her in a bad 2 hour move like Elektra. “Watching” Jennifer Garner was so painful……not.

Journey Into Mystery #103 – Another 2 for 1 deal! This one is cheaper to buy, but a better one. This comic gives us a first look at the Executioner and Enchantress. At $200, more upside than issue #99, simple as that.

Journey Into Mystery #112 – Remember that $600 you should hold on to? (issue #86) Well this comic would be a better pick up with that cash. Yes, not disputing that Odin’s first appearance wouldn’t be a welcome addition to any collection, but a Jack Kirby Thor vs. Hulk comic?? This is a continuation of their first meeting in The Avengers #3 comic, Also from Jack Kirby! That one comes in at $1000. The two of these comics are no brainers at the going rate. Talk a dealer down at a show for $1500 for both if you can and you have gold. Big upside to these undervalued comics right now.

Rounding out the Journey Into Mystery comics, we get to issue #114, first Absorbing Man $145. Issue #115, which is an early origin issue of Loki for only $200. Issue #118, first Destroyer $170.

Thor #126, the classic Kirby cover from 1966 still till this day is one of the best Thor comic covers of all time. The only cover that rivals it in the Thor realm would the Silver Surfer #4from John Buscema circa 1969 for $500. Awesome covers by 2 legends.

Thor #126 – Journey Into Mystery ended with issue #125, The Mighty Thor begins with issue #126! This essentially is THE number one issue of Thor. A price of only $400 makes this extremely attractive. Probably the best 400 bucks you’ll spend on your Thor collection. Do not pass this up…….or Silver Surfer #4.

Thor #129 – Introduces the more recent deceased Ares. Wait isn’t he back already? Don’t matter, $100 for this bad as* characters first appearance?? An absolute beauty here, buy it now. Forget any variant covers coming out for a few weeks, look for this instead.

Thor #148– The Wrecker of the Wrecking Crew, his first appearance in this issue. $85 for Thor #148 plus $10 for Defenders #17 will get you the entire Wrecking Crew team. Defenders #17 (1974) has the first appearance of Bulldozer, Pile Driver, and Thunderball. If ever another Thor solo movie is made, maybe this oddball team would be some fun to see!

Thor #158 – An early Thor origin retelling issue from 1968 for only $100? Very nice.

Thor #165 – A very early first appearance of HIM/Warlock. If Marvel ever decides to explore the Cosmo’s in the movie theater, this would be a welcome addition to your collection. Speaking of Cosmo’s, look for a Marvel Cosmic list coming soon to InvestComics! Yes Marvel will eventually realize they have an entire universe that hasn’t gone to screen yet. So when it does, you’ll have your check list in order….right here on InvestComics!

Thor #172 – If you’re looking to invest in the comic book market, Besides the oblivious Golden Age/Silver Age books, the Bronze Age (early 70’s) books would be a very good place to start too. This issue of Thor is the first Bronze Age book in the run. The early Bronze Age books are becoming harder to find (scarceness/condition), and include some gems. Thor #172 cost only $40.

Thor #337 – If ever there was a comic that redefined a character and put them on the map, this comic would be it. One of the reasons a Thor movie is being made today is because of this comic from 1983. Yes that’s right, just like McFarlane’s Spider-Man, Miller’s Batman, this here is Walt Simonson putting the proverbial stamp on the Thor character. Thor #337 had the misfortune of being released in the 80’s when comics were overprinted, otherwise this once untouchable comic back in the 80’s would be a much higher priced commodity today. That said, any collector who calls himself/herself a comic book lover, should have this already. If you don’t, shame on you. The transformation of Thor as a character began here. Not only did Walt Simonson bring Thor to a new status quo in the Marvel Universe with this issue, he gave us the introduction of Beta Ray Bill. This is the best $7 you’ll spend as far as reading and enjoyment when it comes to a Thor comic. Buy Walt’s run, it’s an amazing ride, great story telling, and a reintroduction of one of Marvel’s best characters. The very next issue #338 tells the origin of Beta Ray Bill. $13 gets you two excellent books.

Thor #363 – Here we have the first Modern Age Thor comic. $2.Thor #391 – First appearance of Erik Masterson, aka Thunderstrike. $2Thor #411 – The introduction of The New Warriors. Nice $5 comic.

Thor #80 Vol 2 – The popular Avengers Disassembled started here in a prologue. $7

Thunder Strike #24 – Last issue of this series, and it’s a hard issue to find supposedly. Only $3.What If? #39 – This What If? Story from 1983 features Thor vs. Conan. This is a fun book! $3

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AVENGERS Villian Checklist (From 2010)

The Avengers have had many adversaries over the years. The Avenger villains throughout the years are definitely not a list of who’s who in the Marvel Universe. Better yet, a “who’s that? Or maybe even an “Oh yea I forgot about that one!” There is one thing regarding the villains here. Will the Avengers movie be an origin movie or an all out heroes vs. villains deal? Since the heroes are all getting themselves acquainted with the audience in their respective movies, one can hope that we get right down to business and have a villain or 2 appearing. We can also hope as well to see Thor vs. Hulk first, or a couple of the heroes battle each other, then get down to business and kick some villain as*!
While Marvel can choose any villain they want from their vast library, InvestComics will stick with who has appeared in the Avengers books as a bad guy or gal. So aside from one of the greatest if not the best tales to ever to be read or drawn in the pages of The Avengers, The Kree-Skrull War would be the “go to movie”” to make for any fan of comic books, but this isn’t so much about us “comic collectors” as it is for Hollywood to figure out their best angle to make the most money out of the least amount of work. In saying “the least amount of work”, you have to understand the task at hand here. Imagine trying to fill up a screen with 3 Major Marvel characters that all have had solo movies before this one comes out. If too much time is spent worrying about character time and who should get more money shots than the other, this movie will take about 5 years to get done. According to the latest release dates, The Avengers movie will be coming in 2 years! We’ll see it happen in 2012.

Now back to the Kree-Skrull comic. The first part of this mega awesome story appeared in The Avengers #89 with the awakening of Kree-Sentry. Although the first part from 1971 will cost you only about $40, it’s The Avengers #93 that takes the cake in this storyline. It’s the double sized issue drawn by the legend himself Neal Adams. This prize issue comes in at $150. Out of the entire 9 issue run here, this would be the one to get. There were 3 other legends that join in bringing this epic story that eventually led to the Secret Invasion story arc. Sal Buscema and John Buscema were on hand along with writer Roy Thomas. If you never got around to checking this story out, you should make a point of getting to it. So if the Kree-Skrull war doesn’t come to the silver screen as part of The Avengers movie, too bad for us and too bad for anyone that doesn’t know of this epic tale.

Let’s march forward to the Villains. Here they are in no particular order.
A Hank Pym creation that goes wrong, his creation is called Ultron. This villain has been around for a while now, constantly a thorn in the Avengers side. In 1968 the debut of Ultron happened in The Avengers #54. This will run about $40. Well worth it for a villain that we all know will always be around causing some sort of havoc for the Avengers. If Ultron is announced to make it to the silver screen, that goes up a few dollars tomorrow. If you’re looking to spend a few more bucks, take a look at The Avengers #8 (1964). This is the first appearance of Kang. Kang has been a brutal force against our Avengers for many years. The price tag here is in the $120 range. Kang is also going to rule the land in 4000AD.
The Avengers #4. Not only the first appearance of the Silver Age Captain America, it’s in this article because it’s the first appearance of Baron Zemo! Yes it’s a two for one issue!

Absorbing Man has given our Mighty Heroes a problem from time to time. Check out his first in Journey Into Mystery #114 (1965). This will be the most expensive of the choices with the Avengers villains. $145 is the starting bid here. Our next villain made an early appearance in the Avengers books. The Avengers #10 (1964) features the debut of Immortus. $100 gets you a copy of this one.
Traveling to the Cosmos we find a few characters that have been a nuisance over the years for our beloved team. Korvac falls into the annoying people category for our team. Debuting in 1975 in Giant Size Defenders #3, he quickly found his way into the lives of Marvel’s Super Team. This comic cost only $17. Take a look to the supposed granddaughter of the baddest Cosmo dude of all, Thanos. Nebula claims to be related to Thanos, but if she really was in some way wouldn’t she really be kicking some serious as*? Check out her debut in Avengers #257 (1985) for only $3. Yes it’s safe to say that she is a second rate villain, unlike her “grand daddy.” Speaking of Thanos, Iron Man #55 (1973) is the first appearance of the Cosmo goliath. If you find this comic in great shape for $240, it’s a fantastic buy for one of the most underrated villains in the Marvel Kingdom!

So there you have a smidgen of villains that have crossed the path of Earth’s Mighty Heroes. Will any of them appear in the movie? As comic book fans we always hope so! The possibilities of seeing a Thanos grace the screen or even Captain Marvel from the Kree-Skrull story would be a dream come true. Could you imagine the Avengers movie leading into a full out Marvel Cosmic Universe movie? They already have Silver Surfer out there; just add characters like Rom or something! Yes that’s right, Rom. Bring back ROM!

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AVENGERS Hero Checklist

With the current Superbowl Avengers trailer, it’s fitting to run a previous Avengers special from a while back that appeared here on InvestComics. Included in this article is the Avengers trailer that has every one geeking out. Enjoy, and see you next week with the VILLIANS portion of this Avengers Special on InvestComics.

Out of all of the comic book movies we hear of coming our way, only one (maybe 2) make us all wait like that 8 year old child on Christmas Eve with the butterflies all tangled up in the gut. Thor will come upon us in 2011, while 2012 brings the Avengers. One could only hope that the end of the world doesn’t come early to spoil the Avengers fun. The anticipation of watching Thor lay down his hammer to the ground, striking it with the power of thunder, watching the ground reverberate and then watching the ground and every living thing around it succumb to nothingness will be astounding. Yes we’ll get the image of the hammer in the air on top of a mountain shot, yes we’ll get the whirl and throw as Thor takes flight, but nothing will beat that fury when he’s had enough and lays the God of law down. It’s going to be movie magic like never seen before. Thor is a badas*, always has been and always will be. Now we all finally get to witness it first hand in a live action epic movie. What could possibly be better than this you ask? Well, the Avengers movie. To have the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Captain America on the same screen at the same time is a comic book fans dream. The biggest question mark remains, will this movie be done ‘right’? It probably will be. If you look at the other ‘team’ movie the X-Men, it wasn’t until the third movie where things really started going wrong with that franchise. The very first X-Men movie was the best one, the introduction of characters, the structure of story and a nice balance of character development. For the reasons the first X-Men movie succeeded will not be the same reason the Avengers movie will supersede it. The X-Men movie did not have the introduction of characters in their own films before the movie came out. People will have a very good general knowledge of the characters like Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor, etc. when the Avengers movie hits. So what you didn’t like the Hulk movie or maybe even Iron Man, but they are not going to be the headliner here. They ALL are, so if you don’t like a certain character, you could just eat your popcorn, roll your eyes and wait for your main guy or gal to come on. Didn’t most of us do this with Wolverine in the X-Men movie?
Captain America is the leader of the Avengers, so his movie “should be” very fine tuned. He is the lead character of the Avengers film and his movie “should be” the best of all the solo Avenger movies. Although, Thor will probably be better, but who cares really? We’re going to be getting a true live action Captain America movie! How great is this?? One of the probable reasons that Cap will be a good movie and not a great one is the overseas worry in releasing an “American War Hero” in today’s political climate. It might not seem like a big deal to anyone here in the states, but even Hollywood did say that this will pose for a slight problem and they do recognize that America is not exactly on top of the ‘like list’ these days with many countries. So with that, we as an audience could suffer a bit if Hollywood decides to make too much “nice” in order to attract the overseas market. Thus, Thor will be a better movie; no one in Asgard will have to worry about offending or making amends. Besides Norman is about to get his as* handed to him by Asgard (Siege), so we’ll let him deal with them.
With the excitement of all of the solo Avenger movies coming, there is also excitement in looking at where all of these characters were first seen on the pages of a comic book. The very first time the Avengers appeared as a team was Avengers #1 from 1963. This comic could fetch at least $7000 or higher depending on the condition. It’s a classic issue brought to you by to classic creators, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Surprisingly there aren’t that many key issues in the Avengers run. One of the best standouts in the run comes in with Avengers #4. This issue was the first Silver Age Captain America coming in at a $3000 price tag, grab this one right now. Avengers #57 gives us the first Vision. If Vision is a part of the Avengers movie, (probably not, but wishful thinking) this comic will be gaining some exposure. Vision would really translate nicely to the big screen. One could only hope that he’ll make an appearance. This comic is only in the $80 range. The last of the best Key issues in the original Avengers run has to go to issue #71. The first Invaders appearance at a cost of $65.
As far as the actual Avengers team members, we’re talking a little more cash, but these comics are the cream of the crop. These are comics that will in fact appreciate in value within time with no sign of any downside. While the Avengers have a ton of members that have come and gone, 84 to be exact at last count. Let’s focus on some of the bigger ones that have already been mentioned in this article as well as some others.
Thor, first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 in 1962. The classic Kirby/Sinnott cover alone is nothing short of beauty here. The going price is about $20,000 and shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re in the market for another key Thor issue that has a tremendous upside and is undervalued at the moment, look for Thor #126. It’s been recommended on InvestComics quite a few times now over the years and since it was first mentioned in 2007; it’s gone up in value about 9% in each of those years. Might not sound like retirement money (Public service announcement! Please don’t think you could retire collecting comic books, nor send your kids to college). Although 9% may not sound like a lot to some people, it’s a nice return over a 15 year span if you hold on to this comic. Thor #126 currently comes in at only $400??!! This comic is basically the very first Thor solo comic, a Thor #1 issue if you will. In issue #125 of Journey into Mystery with Thor, Marvel decided to drop the “Journey” name and simply call it Thor with the next issue. This is one of the most “affordable” recommended buy’s right now in the InvestComics portfolio. You cannot go wrong with buying this issue. The Thor movie is going to explode, get in on the Thor craze now before the hammer becomes a regular toy item for every boy to have in their toy chest. Thor #126 is THE buy here folks. Sticking with Thor and Journey into Mystery, check out Journey into Mystery #85. This issue is the first appearance of Loki and cameo of Odin. This comic is only $1800 at the moment. Look for the popularity to increase after the Thor movie comes out.
The big Green guy, Hulk first appeared in his self titled comic;Incredible Hulk #1. This also came out in 1962. There isn’t really much to say, except that for $45,000 it gets you ownership here. So put that Red Hulk nonsense down and start saving, because at 60k this is a nice deal. You probably could buy this comic right now in the 35k range in the right circumstances.
Iron Man first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39. This first appearance will cost you about $12,000. Robert Downy Jr. will be doing his thing in Iron Man 2, but look for this to climb in value as the Avengers movie gets closer. It’s not going to happen with the Iron Man sequel.
Now we have come to the biggest star of them all, Captain America. Way back, almost 70 years ago, that’s right 70 years ago Steve Rogers first appeared in Captain America Comics #1. Almost right smack in the middle of WWII we received the greatest solider the world has ever seen. Steve Rogers; the American Super Solider will cost about $140,000 to buy. Although very pricey to most, it’s an issue that will forever be as valuable as Action Comics #1. A true American Icon of American Comics will never fail in the value of collecting, whether it’s emotional value or monetary value.
Speaking of value, check out 2 issues later in Captain America #3 for Stan Lee’s first work! How cool is that?? This comic is worth about $27,000. Owning this comic means that you own a piece of history. Without Stan, the superhero climate in the Marvel Universe looks vastly different. Wouldn’t say it doesn’t exist, just saying that Spidey maybe isn’t the Spidey we know, Fantastic Four aren’t who they are, etc.

As said earlier, there have been many Avengers (approx. 84) that have graced the pages of the awesome run. A few other Avengers have had their names mentioned to appear in the Avengers Movie, one of them is set to appear in the Iron Man sequel. This character also is probably going to be the front runner to get his own movie as a result of his popularity. Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye will be a nice addition to the Iron Man film if they fit him in. If not, he will be in the Avengers movie. Too much talk about this guy appearing in one of these films if not both. Lots of times they say a character will appear in a movie, but they somehow end up on the cutting room floor. Cutting Clint out of the Iron Man 2 movie would be a travesty. It would be neat to see a hero in that movie that isn’t behind an iron suit. War Machine will be awesome, so will Iron Man, but throw Hawkeye with them and you have awesomeness. A great buy goes out to Tales of Suspense #57 (1964) for only $600. A $500 bill will probably get a deal done. Pick this up because with an appearance in Iron Man 2 the interest will start right there. The Avengers movie will thrust more interest on the Hawkeye character; don’t sit too long on buying his first appearance. Another Avenger mentioned is Ant-Man. He first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (1958). Talks of a solo movie for Ant-Man dried up mainly because the interest wasn’t there for the studio. A few issues later in Tales to Astonish #44 (1959) came Wasp. This female hero will not amount to much in the Avengers Movie even if she does appear. It’s not a home run with this character nor is the investment.

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MORE Iron Man Comics (Hot Picks from 2009)

What KEY Iron Man books should you have in your collection? Well, since Iron Man has been around since 1963 the character has gone through some things to say the least. There have been countless major storylines involving Tony Stark (Illuminati, Avengers Disassembled, Secret Invasion, and the unforgettable Civil War, plus MANY more!). One standout storyline involving Tony Stark happened in his own Iron Man title.

The story arc was called “Demon in a Bottle”. This story really gave the rawness of Tony’s addiction to alcohol. The very first part of this arc started in Iron Man #120(1979), brought to you by the team of John Romita Jr. and writers David Michelinie and Bob Layton Sr. If you could buy this comic within the $10 range, actually the entire run up to issue #128 for less than $10 a piece you will arguable own one of the greatest story arc’s of the Iron Man series ever. Think of this run as the “Frank Miller Daredevil” run. It’s the defining moment in the series. A very nice nugget hidden away in the Iron Man series isIron Man #115 (1978). If you are a fan of John Romita Jr. then this comic should already be in your collection. This issue was John’s first full art work of his career. This is as unvalued as they come in the collection world. InvestComics suggests that you find this comic, buy it in Near Mint condition, and store it. This gem is a firm collector’s item!

Iron Man’s very first appearance came in Tales of Suspense #39 (1963) , but it wasn’t until Tales of Suspense #48 (1963) did we first see the Red and Gold armor. In the new release of Iron Man #25 this week, Tony Stark dons the new look armor. Wouldn’t you want the original Red & Gold to go with the latest? TOS #48 is a strong buy. Sticking with the Tales of Suspense series for a sec, Issue #52 is the first appearance of the Black Widow. Yea Scarlett is looking mighty fine in those tight black latex pants in the Iron Man movie. Check out Amazing Spider-Man #86 (1970) where the Widow dons the Black latex for the first time. That issue is penciled by the legend John Romita Sr.

Let’s get back to the Iron Man series, and lets go in chronological order too. The number one issue from 1968 is a VERY affordable $900 to $1200 right now. Unbelievable considering how much play this character will get for the next 10 years. Iron Man #21 (1970) is the first Bronze Age issue. Do you really need to be told to get your butt on this one? Iron Man #47(1972) is written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Barry Windsor Smith. Iron Man #55 is one of the premiere buys as far as investments go. An anniversary issue pops up in Iron Man #100 (1977). This will cost you about the same amount for that origin issue number 47. Jumping ahead 18 issues later toIron Man #118 (1979) the world was introduced to Jim Rhodes, a John Byrne issue. It takes Jim Rhodes 52 issues to get the nerve to put on the Iron Man suit in issue #170 (1983). Then the War Machine armor makes its first appearance in Iron Man #281, then War Machine first appears in Iron Man #282.

Invest wisely. Carpe Diem.

Jay Katz

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